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Western New York
in Maps, Charts, and Images
Map Collection |
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Photos | Sanborns | Topos |
UB Map Collection
The UB Map Collection has maps, charts, aerial and satellite photos, and online maps of Western New York, including Erie, Niagara, and other local counties. These maps are in a variety of scales and describe many different aspects of the city and the region.
Most of these maps are located either under a Library of Congress call number, or under the U.S. Government, Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) numbering system. All of these maps may be located using the BISON the UB Libraries Catalog, and then retrieving the desired map from the map drawer (SEL Room 316 map shows general locations).
Search Tip: When searching BISON you may find listings using the following search tip: Enter a subject search, beginning with erie county n y--maps. The following is an example:
s = erie county n y--maps
This will locate almost all Erie County maps. To locate topographic maps of Buffalo, enter the following:
s = buffalo n y--maps topographic
Among this collection are what are referred to as historical topographic maps. These are older topographic maps (1895-1950) of New York State that are kept in the Map Collection Reference Room. Searching BISON is the same as for regular topographic maps. To see some examples of these maps, view the Historical Topographic Maps of Buffalo page.
If you need further assistance, please contact the UGL/SEL Reference Desk, by calling 645-2947 x 233 or via e-mail askASL@buffalo.edu.
Maps
of Western New York (in Map Collection and online databases).
- Buffalo New York maps. Sister page providing local maps.
- Aerial Photograph Collection. Included in the UB collection are aerial photographs and satellite imagery coverage of Erie and Niagara counties for the years 1927, 1966, and 1978. In addition, the Map Collection contains a small collection of miscellaneous satellite imagery of United States cities. Contact the UGL/SEL Reference Desk for access. Also has additional links to other aerial collections of the region.
- Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. The UB Map Collection has the 1991 edition of the city of Buffalo, on microfilm. The reels are in the Map Collection Reference Room and can be viewed in the Map Collection. Ask the map librarian or a reference librarian for assistance.
- Digital Sanborn Maps. The Arts & Sciences Libraries also have a subscription to the digital edition (available to the UB community), providing electronic access to Sanborn fire insurance maps of cities and towns in New York State (1867-1970). The maps are valuable tools for urban specialists, social historians, architects, geographers, genealogists, local historians, planners, and environmentalists.
- New York State topo quadrangle maps: for online access to New York topo quads, see also the New York State Gazetteer & GeoData Collection. This UB Libaries page provides a gazetteer, along with the digital collection of downloadable USGS topographic maps, such as georeferenced Digital Raster Graphics (DRG's). These maps are suitable for both general use and GIS applications.
- Soil survey of Erie County, New York / United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service ; in cooperation with the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station. [Washington, D.C.?] : The Service, 1986. These soil surveys are available in print in the following UB locations:
- SCI/ENGR Book Collection: S591 .A22 N.Y. Erie
- CAPEN LIBRARIES / Reference: S591 .A22 N.Y. Erie
- LOCKWOOD LIBRARY / Documents Collection: US A 57.38: Er 4/
- ARCHITECTURE PLANNING LIBRARY / Book Collection: S599.N7 S55 1986
- ARCHITECTURE PLANNING LIBRARY / Reserve: S599.N7 S55 1986.
- Water Resources of Western New York (USGS) .Individual documents by region; choose WNY links for data and maps.
Holland Land Office map, 1825
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
Waterfalls in Western New York
Orienteering Maps
Topographic maps used for people who use compass or GPS equipment to practice ground navigation. The following examples were produced for the Buffalo Orienteering Club:
- See also City, Town, Village, and Other Counties Governments
- Western New York Regional Knowledge Network (RKN). Links to local county, municipal, and other government sites, schools, hospitals, and many other sources. Maps are located throughout the network by topic. Good starting place is:.
- Buffalo/Western New York reference maps. Maps of: counties, census tract maps, school districts, political districts, other.
- Buffalo, Erie County, and WNY maps (BuffaloResearch.com, genealogy site ). Variety of maps showing historical views.
- Empire State Roads. Maps page has Orthophoto Image Mosaics covering quad-matched areas.
- Upstate N.Y. Roads Site. Similar to ESR above, showing road-related maps and data.
- Erie Canal Historic maps. Also has current NYS Barge Canal map links.
- Erie County, 1829 (David Rumsey Collection).
- Atlas of Erie County, 1880 (F.W. Beers). Online facsimile of copy at the New York Public Library. This is extremely detailed and shows a wealth of data for each town.
- Erie County Cemetery Maps. Not all links work, but links for the parent pages will help locate maps.
- Erie County: Towns (Roots.web). Capsule histories of each town in the county. Also links to other counties and states.
- Geographical Information Systems for WNY (GIS--including Erie and Niagara Counties).
- History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County: with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, in Two Volumes. Edited by H. Perry Smith. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co., Publishers, 1884. Online facsimile of the book.
- New York State maps. Official NYS website. includes links:
- Historic Sites Bureau - Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
- Road Maps. Online maps of regions.
- New York State Parks Map and Regional Information
- New York State Thruway Authority. Maps and information.
- Niagara Falls Bridge Commission. Maps of the bridges along the border, travel and import/export information.
- Road Maps (NYS Tourism site)
- Greater Niagara region (Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming counties)
- Chautauqua-Allegheny region (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua counties)
- All other regions
Erie County Official Sources
- Erie County Government website
- Erie County Atlas, 1866. Scans of maps of each town.
- Erie County Maps & Aerial Photographs
- Erie County Aerial Photographs. 1920 and 1951 collections. Also a page of 1920 miscellaneous photos. For additional years, see the UB Map Collection, Aerial Photographs page.
- Fire Departments in Erie County (Official County site).
- GIS Link to Erie County sites
- Office of Geographic Information Services. Has GIS data on Erie County (go straight to Erie Co GIS). Includes links to consortium cities and towns (see Citiy, Town, and Village Governments), as well as to regional, national, and international geo-data sites.
- Radon Map of Erie County (Erie County Office for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)). Map is part of the Radon Awareness Program. Also has a New York State Radon Map. View a facsimile of the 2000 Radon Map for Erie County.
Niagara County Official Sources
- Niagara County Official Website.
- Niagara Falls Guidebooks from the 19th Century. Scanned facsimiles of guidebooks from 1840-1915 in the Niagara University Library.
- GIS Link to Niagara County site.
- For aerial photographs, see the UB Map Collection, Aerial Photographs page.
Erie and Niagara County GIS
- Erie County Internet Mapping System (ECIMS). Designed to provide access to the most popular layers of digital maps in the Erie County's Geographic Information System (GIS). Through this interactive system, users can create and print their own maps, and locate information, on a variety of subjects. Property parcels, roads, parks, schools districts, and environmental data are examples of the types of maps included in the Internet Mapping System.
- Erie County Soil & Water Conservation District GIS. Also provides a variety of data layers, including soil types, flood plains, land use, and land parcels (by lot).
- Soil Surveys (USDA). Locate Buffalo, NY soil surveys using this online system.
- Niagara County GIS (hosted by Erie County).
City, Town, Village, and Other Counties Governments
Maps
- Akron, NY.
- Amherst (Official town site). Amherst GIS.
- Digital Maps. Includes: Base map, road map, floodplain, 1909 historical maps.
- Planning Map (with proposed zoning, etc.) for Bicentennial (2018).
- Additional Amherst maps (and some Clarence maps)
- Amherst Bike Paths (Town of Amherst). Map of bicycle routes with mileage and other data. Includes paths near UB, including an Inter-Campus route.
- Clarence Zoning Map 2000; Future Land Use 2000 map.
GIS Sites
These sites Uses the Map Machine to provide mapping of their respective towns and show layers for: map/satellite imagery, soil, water, land use, parcels, zoning, other data.
- Amherst GIS (Town website). Includes maps for Williamsville, NY.
- Buffalo (Erie County consortial site). See also: Erie County Internet Mapping System
- Eden (Erie County consortial site).
- Grand Island (Erie County consortial site).
- Tonawanda (Erie County consortial site).
GIS Sites Outside Erie County
- Cattaraugus County Interactive Maps. Maps and GIS available, including:
- GIS: Parcel Maps.
- Various Maps of Cattaraugus County. Prepared maps on various topics, also custom-map functions available. Variety includes maps of local sites and themes (e.g., Amish country, mosquitoe prevention efforts), and maps, such as the Interactive Cemetery Research Map.
- Community GIS. Villages and towns in the Southern Tier (Chatauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany Counties) GIS sites. Includes villages and towns of: Allegany, Busti, Cattaraugus, Cuba, Delevan, East Randolph, Ellicott, Franklinville, Gowanda, Hume, Limestone, New Albion, Perrysburg, Portville, Randolph, South Dayton, and Wellsville.
- Monroe County GIS. Monroe County, including Rochester. Also has pdfs of main towns in the county. Example: Henrietta, NY. Other thematic maps include agriculture, fire, emergency, flood, land use, soils, population, etc.
- New York State County GIS Sites. List of official county government GIS. Counties are being added as they come online.
GIS Sites in Ontario
- Niagara Falls, Ontario GIS. (City of Niagara Falls). GIS covering the city proper, and township (down to Fort Erie line). Also on Maps page, zoning GIS, and various support systems maps.
Other Sources of Data
- New York State GIS Clearinghouse. The place to go for NYS data and related resources. Includes links to: Who's Who for GIS in Erie and Niagara Counties.
- Historical Collections of the Great Lakes Great Lakes (Bowling Green State University Libraries). Catalog and inventory, with finding guides and collection summaries. Collection contains Archival materials and manuscripts, photos and drawings, along with reference databases relating to the Great Lakes.There is a specific link to the Historic Maps and Charts collection.
Guide Author: David J. Bertuca
Last Update:
30 September, 2009
